Why Does It Cost to Submit?

Why does it cost to submit to Literary Magazines?

Well, the money goes towards a lot of things.

Places that offer publishing, especially online, are most often sourced by you, the writers, and the audience! Your larger places usually attract donors or secure grants. Some are nonprofit organizations, and some are part of Universities, where they get access through their English departments and to grants.

Your starter magazines, like Sour Visions, solely rely on YOU!

We strike a balance between offering free submissions and running paid contests.

So why publish at all? Is it worth the money? Is it worth it at all?

YES! I cannot stress this enough: submit, submit, submit.

My regret is not submitting more while I was still in college. About 95% of this industry is based on published pieces. I pulled that percentage from the data on applications I have submitted that required a written portfolio.

Aside from helping job seekers publish their pieces, you are helping small businesses continue their work. Things have changed in the publishing industry; publishing hard copies is extremely costly. Plus, with the internet thriving more than ever, publishing online is cost-effective.

This article is intended to help people better understand this process. The Times Literary Supplement was the first arts journal to publish works such as James Joyce's Ulysses. These would be published in increments as we receive new TV seasons. If you were an AO3 fan or Wattpad user, that is also the equivalent of the author saying, “Hey, it will be a while for the next chapter!”

I would totally forget about what I had read previously, haha.

Thanks for supporting the arts!

Written by: Sierra Voiles